Symptoms

In the
U.S., thousands of people are prescribed opioid pain medications every year. With very few alternatives available, it remains the standard way of alleviating chronic pain. However, opioid use is associated with a wide range of possible adverse effects, with over 15,000 deaths caused by overdose annually. Among other ways to make pain subside is acupuncture. But does it compare to opioids in terms of effectiveness?
Acupuncture
has been a bone of contention for many decades. Its advocates, predominantly those ...

Loneliness has always been considered a thing capable of causing depression. However, it is not only your mood that can be affected by it. Scientific evidence on the impact of social isolation that is being accumulated as new reports are being published suggests that not only does it increase the risk of a wide range of diseases, but it can also contribute to all-cause mortality risk.
Interpersonal connections play an important role in the life of a human being. Besides the immediate effects of communication, it helps ...

There are professions which are dangerous not only due to possible accidents that may happen in the workplace, but also due to exposure to harmful substances. Long-term exposure to coal dust, which is usually observed in coal mines, often results in black lung – a disease the cases of which are becoming more and more numerous. Why is that so?

In an attempt to reveal new secrets hidden in the human genome, scientists found that genetic variants can be used for prediction of lifespan: according to them, these variants can affect certain functions of the body that are vital, and so their features can help understand whether a person is more likely to die prematurely.

It is obvious that natural disasters bring about extremely dangerous, life-threatening situations. But there are other effects acts of God may have, and they are long-lasting. The stress induced by such traumatic events invariably takes a toll on your health, leading to exacerbation of symptoms of your existing diseases, mental issues, and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here is why.

We all experience some aches and pains from time to time, and joint pain is also common. These symptoms and the like can have such a wide range of underlying diseases and conditions that it is hard to attribute them to one particular problem. Vitamin D deficiency can manifest itself in a variety of subtle and diverse symptoms, especially in its early stages.

Like virtually all other health problems, mental disorders manifest themselves in symptoms which develop in an affected person. Some of them are clearly visible, and you can spot them by analyzing someone’s behavior. What does it mean when your friend goes on something without paying attention to other things? In some cases, knowing such signs can help you give a helping hand.

High blood pressure calls for taking medications, as many people have readings that are too high to be considered ‘slightly abnormal’. However, pills are not the only way to treat hypertension. Changing your lifestyle can have a profound effect on your health, including the parameter in question. Here are the measures you can take to manage your high blood pressure – or prevent it from becoming so.

Socioeconomic disadvantages are known to be able to affect a person both psychologically and psychically, and so are other environmental factors. Adversities and problems have long been regarded as contributors to shorter life expectancy, but it remains unknown what changes they induce in the body. New research suggests rough childhood causes cells to age prematurely.

Your breath is not only indicative of what you have just eaten – the air you exhale contains information about what is going on in your body. While some breaths have long been known as symptoms of health conditions, analysis at molecular level is a novel approach. A new machine designed by an international team of researchers boasts being able to sniff 17 diseases.

Invariably busy, constantly sleep-deprived. These are one of the key characteristics of most people living today. Sleep is of utmost importance, but it is not only quantity that matters, but quality. Short sleeps, dubbed power naps, can have many beneficial effects, and one of them is worth a special note: it can help boost your memory.

When all other options fail, those who are obese for some reason resort to bariatric surgery. It is a kind of obesity treatment which implies either restriction of food intake per meal, or forcing your GI tract become less efficient at nutrient absorption. While all these means of treatment may yield significant results, they often lead to health problems.

Brakes screeching, mouths spilling out profanities, and the much longed-for evening coffee being spilled all over the seat. A typical way home often results in verbal insults, which may go as far as to transform into physical confrontation. Even if there is no punch-up, road rage definitely has a negative impact on health, as it contributes to the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Loud breathing, popping chewing gum, slurping… If you cannot stand hearing such noises, you should know that you are not alone. Disgusting and cringeworthy, they fill you with rage. Even if you understand that there is nothing to be angry about–it’s just sounds, isn’t it?–the problem may be serious, and in this case it becomes a real disorder called misophonia.

With Paleo diets becoming more popular, it is reasonable that scientists address the issue and try to find out whether this approach to nutrition is actually beneficial. Touted as super-healthy, low-carb diets rich in fats and proteins may have adverse effects on health and are now linked to an increased mortality risk.

We have all heard about the dangers of failing to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. However, it was unknown whether sleeping too much can also be detrimental to health. Some may speculate that sleeping more enables the body to save more energy and regenerate cells, but recent scientific evidence runs counter to this assumption.

In the world of hygiene-obsessed societies–at least in the developed world–it might be gross for someone to ponder on a host of bacteria teeming in our guts. Save your yucks for your next burger – however disgusting it may seem to be, the cooperation of the microbiome and the body is really a fascinating thing.

Poor sleep is associated with a wide range of health problems, both mental and physical. From an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases to impaired cognitive function, sleep deprivation affects our bodies significantly. A new research shed light on another effect of it: poor sleep is now linked to social isolation and loneliness.

Have you ever seen a weirdly-looking round scar on someone’s upper left arm? If you have, do you know how important it is? The history behind the scar, which has become a special mark of the whole generation of those who lived in the 60s and 70s, is that of cooperation and struggle, but it eventually led to a remarkable event – the elimination of smallpox.

Brain aneurysm is definitely not a thing to neglect. Many of them cause no symptoms until they start leaking or rupture, which often leads to disability or even death. If you are diagnosed with brain aneurysm, you are liable to be treated this way or another, but you should also avoid certain things, or risk factors, that can trigger its rupture. Here they are.